I’ve always been so focused on Branson, Mo that I’d never thought of all the great things to do Near Branson Mo. I do these things all the time and have a great time. Springfield, MO has a ton of things to do, and there are tons of Lake Near Branson Mo. Here’s a short list of some of the things you can do.

Things to do Near Branson Mo

1)The Battlefield Mall-this place has a ton of stores. And is pretty easy to access. Just take the Battlefield exit off of Highway 65 north and you will be well on your way. Dillards, Jcpenny, Sears are all there, among many other banner stores.
Special tip: Be prepared to walk, as this mall is very large.Battlefield mall website

2)Table Rock Lake-Located off of Highway 165 its just a stones throw away from Branson. Tons of Hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating of course. Scuba diving and Para sailing is even a possibility in the summer.
3)Hiking near Springfield-the Nature Center off of James River expressway has some great hiking, and is one of the best trails I’ve ever hiked. Beautiful ponds and streams along the way, and its very safe as there is always a little bit of traffic.

4)Sushi-Springfield has a lot of great Sushi. From Ohana’s to Haruno’s to Ocean Zen. This is the town to eat Sushi in. Most of these Restaurants house everything from Spicy Tuna, to the designer dishes.
5)Mark Twain National Forrest-This is a pretty vast establishment. Located on the right side of Highway 65 headed north. It spans a lot of 65. Its a little hard to get in and out of but may be worth the Journey.Things for Kids to do in Branson

Branson, mo is a great place for things to do with Kids. It has a wholesome attitude, and friendly demeanor unprecedented. Though it is hard in some vaction spots to find Things to do with Kids.

The people are friendly for the most part and realize that Tourist make up a great part of the economy. Don’t stop at the Branson Tourism Bureau when everything you need is right here. Some new things opened in 2016 and their legacy will be carried on in 2017. People seem to love Bransonisfun.com’s top ten lists so I will present them in that format. And don’t forget to visit Bransonisfun.com

1) Fritz’s Adventure-just completed in 2016 this is an amazing healthful adventure, where kids can go through mazes, bunchy cord stuff, climb walls and all kinds of things. This was built right next to Dixie Stampede so this is the place to go, when you bring the kids to Branson, and need to find things fun to do.

2)SDC-Silver Dollar City brings it over and over and over. They constantly improve the park for safety and entertainment. This staple is always and will always be worth checking out.

3)Bumper Boats-lined through out this is worth a go, to kill some extra time. There are bumper boats on the East and the West of the strip so check them out.
4)hollywood Wax Museum-open all year round, and a great thing to do in the winter, this is worth a go. Stars molded in wax from some of the most current films is just around the corner. Located just steps away from our next guest, the titanic you must check this out.
5)The Titanic-This version of the Titanic hasn’t been hit by the iceberg yet, and is an awesome reflection of this historic ship an event. Guests get to figure out if they were a passenger that survived. Orgionaly slated for just five years, they have carried well beyond that. Branson Titanic is located right across from Clay Cooper Theater and Walgreens.
These five will wet your appetite until we do a part two enjoy!

Branson says Goodbye to Tom Mullica an amazing entertainer!

If anyone could market themselves, this guy could. I used to see his advertisements everywhere dressed as the Lovable Hobo. Talent to say the least, was an understatement. After his show ended, I didn’t realize he actually had stayed around Branson. From time to time, I would glance over and see him in the supermarket, but that hasn’t happened in the last couple of years.

I remember the Huge sign over at the mansion theater with him on the side of the building, before the Peter Pan show came in. It was so large it really got your attention. And it inspired questions. Like was this guys interprettation of Red Skelton that good. And was there anything else he could do. And I thought this guy must have some chops to carry a theater of this size. And he did for several years. He did an amazing tribute to Red Skelton, and that was his show here in Branson.

Another bit of his claim to fame was his vanishing cigarette tricks. If you haven’t seen it you have to. His artistry in these magic tricks is amazing. A magician, a mime, a clown, this guy had it all. I’m sorry to say I never stopped in on one of those Branson, Mo nights to check out, this amazing entertainer. R.I.P, Tom Mullica.

As you all know I love where I live, I love Branson. And as with any tourist areas, there are always a couple of bumps in the road. And in Branson the tourist traps are prevalent, and sometime worth avoiding.

1. If the sign on the outside of the business seems to good to be true, it probably is.

2. If you go in and they try to step you over to something other than buying tickets for your show, i.e. a timeshare tour, a meeting, a sit down, beware they want to sell you something else. This is a trap!

3.If they ask for a $200.00 deposit on the phone its probably a little fishy.

4. If they call you on the phone via a telemarketer its probably a trap.

5.If they want you to go somewhere other than the theater or the attraction to pick up your tickets, or get your deposit back its probably a trap.

6. If they have a great sign outside, and when you get inside they only have shows that no one would ever go see its probably a __________! Sing it aloud with me. lol

These are six great ways to protect yourself from ____________ and have a great time in Branson.

Leave your comment below about good and bad experiences you’ve had in B town.

Branson is known for Crazy Family fun, and 50 Santa’s on a Ferris Wheel is no different. And fun that is safe and wholesome at the same time, is hard to find.

Well yesterday I was driving past the new Ferris Wheel, and Fifty Santas were lined up outside. i paused for a second and though “Only in Branson” would you see this. Well not just there, sitting in my office as well over at the majestic Stone Castle hotel. When I stop over and eat their great breakfast, with Eggs, sausage, waffles, and all the trimmings. There are always a ton of Santas over here as well. You see there is, you guessed it, a Santa Convention in town. In all months, July. I’ve been behind them in their cars, the breakfast line, and even the Ferris Wheel. They have been having their convention here for a while now, and we are glad to have them. See more of this story at Santa’s Invade Branson

There are a ton of New things coming to Branson. As of this month, there are 6 New attractions being built. From bigfoot, to Fritz, to land being cleared for who knows what off of 165. Branson seems to be evolving from a theater and shopping conglomerate, to a new type of town. With tons of exciting rides to attract a younger age audience. Sarah Evans played the Mansion the other night, and she seems to attract a younger audience as well.

As I drive around town, seems like a lot of construction is going on, so we shall see. We shall see. Check out the site, we have a totally new look.

There are many Mysterious castles in Branson, mo or them there hills. The castle is a remarkable concept for Marketing in this part of the world. A castle can be a hotel, a waterpark, a church, or a secret mansion in the hills. That’s why I called this from Renaissance to Redneck. From brick to silent fortress, this article is a must read. Here is my top list of Castles Here in Hillbilly Heaven.

1)Stone Castle Hotel & conference center-this is agreat place. Really utiliyzing the Castle Theme. Spread out over 5 Acres, this Stone fortress, has the draw bridge and the whole buffett. Knights in shining armour on horseback adorn the property for your liking. A must see when your in Branson town.

2)Castle Rock-A premiere waterpark, right across the street from Stone Castle. It boasts all the effects of a great castle, the cobblestone, the rounded edges, and a huge sun deck on the side of the building.

3)King’s Quarters Hotel-another great hotel located near Sight and Sound theater. More of just a name than a themed hotel, it just goes to show you the abundance of Castles in Branson.

4)The castle @ Celebration City-This now houses Woodland Hills church. Which is worth checking out on Sunday morning. This Castle adorns to the left of Celebration City and has several offices that adjoin with it. A beautifull space.

5)Pensmore mansion-the Highly acclaimed secretive mansion just soouth of Ozark, is a contractor of Castles dream. Bullet proof, bomb proof, and Tornado proof, this has quite the view of 65 highway. Headed from Springfield look to your left (East) right before the salvage yard. Its an amazing structure.

When a show is on its last legs, there is a lot of hooping and hollering. Grunting and groaning, and falling around on the ground. It gurgles a little and then gives up the Ghost.
If a show dies in Branson it is a sad day. As there are always options for reincarnation in some respect. In the chain of theaters a show can survive at, there is always somewhere for a show to go. I’ve seen shows at several different theaters all in the same year.
In the old days, the last stop was always the Branson mall. (Which is closed right now, for renovations). At the mall, they could break shows down into 15 minute intervals, and you’d get a chance to get up onstage, usually without your band, and all the gear. I’ve stopped by and watched just about every Elvis there ever was.
1)The 1950’s Elvis 2)The Jailhouse rock Elvis 3)The Las Vegas Elvis 4)The post Peanut butter and nanner sandwich Elvis 5)And Even Baby Elvis all at the Branson mall.
Jackson Cash though, really brought the house down. He unlike a lot of artists, had all his great up on stage. Made a grand entrance, and put on one incredible show. There was also a huge crowd there, the night I saw him play. I was usually headed to Walmart, and I would stop by and catch a tribute artist or two.
A Show usually leaves a theater when the rent gets too steep. They can’t afford it, as the show isn’t generating enough ticket sales. Usually under some type of persuasion or duress, the show is off to another location. Sometimes it can even be a restaurant. One time I watched an Entire Ferlin Husky show at Wendy’s over a double burger and some square cut fries. Ferlin had a 70’s leasure suit on that night and really brought the roof down, or the restaurant lighting rig.
Many problems are caused by too much show jumping. The show loses credibility very fast, and the theater as well. When it becomes apparent that the theater can’t keep its line up consistent.
We’ve had every show imaginable. 50’s style shows,Several Hank Williams shows, Patsy,Johnny Cash, and on and on. This is a place that can light up with stars at times, and then crash with the best of em.

Its not always a sad day in Branson, when a Restaurant dies. It could be that the venue is turning into something else. A fusion if you will, no pun intended.
Pasta house turned into Florentinas. La Chinita Poblano turned into Pasgheties, and the Plantation morphed into CiCi’s Pizza. And if anything is creating a more competitive landscape in Branson, it’s having better Restaurants. As everyone has to eat, there will always be more and better Food places here. And that’s what we surely need. New inventive tasty food, to entice people to enjoy their stay and enjoy the food. The city (SDC) can’t be the only reason for people to come here, which was about the only draw before the boom hit.
For the employees, they always find new places to lant. The last I’d heard there are over 35,000 Restaurant seats here. New Restaurants in the last year” Pasghettis, CiCi’s Pizza, Shorty Smalls on the strip, Buffalo Wild Wings on the landing, and more to come! If you can think of anymore, please leave a comment below and I will include it.